In the manufacture of a Fiber Optic Gyroscope (FOG) product, a unique set of electronics is required for each product. Depending on the FOG product, an electronics solution usually includes two or more Printed Circuit Assemblies (PCAs). One PCA provides the digital electronics required for implementing the gyroscope control algorithms and interfacing to an external host, while the other PCA(s) provide the analog signal conditioning and conversion functions for interfacing to the gyroscope optics components. Each PCA includes a Printed Wiring Board (PWB) that is populated with a large number of discrete components, such as digital circuitry, Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs), Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs), operational amplifiers, transistors, diodes, resistors, capacitors, and the like.
Manufacturing this type of electronics assembly is labor-intensive and expensive, as well as contributes to the occurrence of electronic faults. Installing a large number of discrete components greatly increases the possibility of a worker installing the wrong part, or installing the part backwards. The high number of solder joints required also increases the risk of a having a bad connection. Manufacturing this type of electronics assembly also requires the ordering and stocking of large numbers of different components over the life cycle of a particular FOG product. The possibility of a part becoming obsolete and requiring an expensive redesign of a PCA increases with the number of components involved.
Another problem with current PCA designs is that they are physically large due to the large number of components required. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult to fit FOG products into shrinking mechanical design requirements.